Chapter 13: The Name That Shouldn’t Be There
Dad stared at Thomas.
“No.””
Thomas didn’t move.
Dad crossed the office in two steps and pulled the binder toward himself.
“Rebecca didn’t know Michael.””
“That’s what I believed,” Thomas said.
“Then why is his name in her trust?””
Marcus leaned over the document.
“Check the amendment date.””
Thomas did.
His expression changed.
“This page wasn’t part of Rebecca’s amendment.””
Dad looked up.
“What?””
Thomas turned several pages back.
The originals were cream-colored paper.
The page naming Michael looked almost identical.
Almost.
Thomas held it under his desk lamp.
“The watermark is different.””
Marcus took it.
“So it was inserted later?””
“It appears so.””
Dad’s phone was still connected.
Michael laughed softly.
“You people finally caught up.””
Dad grabbed it.
“Where is Amanda?””
“She’s fine.””
In the background, Amanda shouted, “Don’t believe him!””
Then something crashed.
Lily screamed, “Mom!””
Dad handed Lily to Rachel.
“Take the kids outside.””
“No!”” I shouted.
“Ethan.””
“I’m staying.””
Dad crouched in front of me.
His eyes were frightened.
Not for himself.
For me.
“You have already been brave enough.””
“But—”
“This part belongs to the adults.””
I looked at Lily.
She was shaking.
I took her hand.
“Come on.””
Rachel led us into the hallway.
The office door stayed open a crack.
I could still hear.
Marcus asked Michael, “What exactly did you alter?””
Michael’s answer came through the speaker.
“You’ll figure it out.””
Thomas said, “You sent the forged authorization because you needed access to the original trust.””
Silence.
Then Michael chuckled.
“Smart man.””
Dad’s voice became cold.
“You tried to create a path to Ethan’s money if something happened to me.””
“Daniel,” Marcus warned.
Michael laughed again.
“You really think Amanda was clever enough to build this?””
Amanda shouted something in the background.
Michael snapped, “Shut up.””
Dad immediately said, “Amanda, if you can hear me, get away from him.””
“I’m trying!””
The call went muffled.
Thomas moved quickly through the trust documents.
“This inserted clause would never survive proper examination.””
Marcus nodded.
“But if Daniel died and someone presented a convincing copy during the confusion…”
“They might gain temporary leverage,” Thomas finished.
Dad stared at the phone.
Michael had apparently counted on confusion.
On paperwork.
On people grieving too much to look closely.
Just like Amanda had counted on me being too young to explain why I was hungry.
Then Marcus’s second phone vibrated.
He read the screen.
“Police have a probable location from the information Amanda gave Rachel earlier and the ongoing emergency call.””
Dad grabbed his coat.
Marcus blocked him.
“No.””
“That’s my wife.””
“And officers are already responding.””
“My daughter’s mother is in there.””
“Which is exactly why you don’t rush into an unknown situation.””
Dad looked ready to argue.
Then he saw Lily and me through the doorway.
He stopped.
Michael spoke again.
“Daniel?””
Dad picked up the phone.
“I’m here.””
“You want Amanda back?””
“Let her leave.””
“Give me Bennett’s originals.””
Thomas shook his head.
Dad said, “No.””
“Then we have a problem.””
Amanda suddenly screamed, “Michael, stop!””
The call disconnected.
Lily sobbed.
Dad ran into the hallway and wrapped both arms around her.
“It’s okay.””
“You don’t know that!””
She hit his chest with her little fists.
“You don’t know!””
Dad held her tighter.
“You’re right.””
He swallowed.
“I don’t know yet.””
That was one thing Dad never did.
He never promised something just because it sounded comforting.
We waited.
Five minutes felt like an hour.
Then Marcus’s phone rang.
He answered.
“Yes?””
We watched his face.
“Understood.””
He hung up.
“They found Amanda.””
Lily froze.
“Is she okay?””
“She’s alive.””
Dad closed his eyes.
Marcus continued.
“Michael ran when officers arrived. Amanda got outside.””
Lily collapsed against Dad.
“Can I see her?””
“Not yet.””
Marcus’s phone rang again almost immediately.
This time his expression sharpened.
“What?””
He listened.
“Where?””
Dad stepped closer.
Marcus lowered the phone.
“Michael’s car was found two blocks away.””
“Did they catch him?””
“No.””
“Then where is he?””
Marcus looked toward Thomas’s window.
Thomas’s office sat on the first floor.
Beyond the glass was a small parking lot.
My stomach dropped before anyone said anything.
Marcus walked to the blinds.
He looked through a narrow gap.
Then immediately stepped back.
“Everyone away from the windows.””
Rachel pulled Lily and me toward the interior hallway.
Dad whispered, “You think he came here?””
Marcus was already calling the police.
Then came a knock.
Three slow knocks.
Nobody breathed.
Another knock.
Thomas whispered, “The front door is locked.””
The receptionist had already gone home.
The office was empty except for us.
A voice came through the glass.
“Thomas?””
Michael.
Lily squeezed my hand.
May you like
Then Michael said something that made Dad turn pale.
“I know Ethan is in there.””
